Hipster Heist (Working Title)

‘Hipster Heist’… is about a gang of East London hipsters – led by two achingly cool biker girls – who rob jewelry stores on motorbikes.

We open on a shot high above the city, its night, the streets far below look like a miniature race track under the neon glow of the street lamps. Suddenly, two go-karts charge into shot at high speed weaving and jostling for position… who are they, where are they going… and what are they doing driving on London’s main roads?!

Outline:

Rich – our protagonist – is a hipster by association, he looks the part, rolls in the right circles but doesn’t strive to fit the mold – in fact he doesn’t strive for much at all – apart from go-karting, a legacy of his late father… Rich is down on his luck, his girlfriend’s left him, bills up to his neck, his job as an airport cleaner’s going nowhere… and neither is his life.

Lore is effortlessly cool, beautiful, not drawn in by the hipster hype and is a member of a girl only motorcycle club – hipster chicks with a passion for retro motorbikes…

Lore and her best friend Eve also happen to lead a criminal gang of hipsters who – with help from an Eastern European crime syndicate – rob jewelry stores on motorbikes under the guise of London’s disenfranchised youth.

When Rich is introduced to Lore through a mutual friend he immediately sees a light at the end of his tunnel, and the more he learns about her the deeper he falls…

During a failed robbery, one of Lore’s gang gets seriously hurt, the heat is on – the Eastern European crime syndicate that provides the hipsters with motorbikes, intel on targets and then fences the goods, wants paying.

The hipster gang need a new member to pull off the next job, Rich seems like the obvious candidate, he has nothing to loose and will do anything for Lore.

Another disastrous robbery leaves the hipster gang in pieces, several members hurt, police on their tale, Eastern Europeans breathing down their neck… all seems lost and suddenly very real.

But Rich has a plan, an ambitious robbery at the airport, on go-karts.

The easy way out sees Rich drive off into the sunset with his new girl and riches, but will it work out so easy??

Hipster Heist Themes

Drive meets The Bling Ring meets VICE magazine.

Exploring what it takes for an average Joe to turn to crime.

A glimpse into hipster culture in London, the hipsters provide comic relief and colourful characters.

A unique setting in East London’s coolest locations.

Iconic chase sequences through London locations such as the Barbican and Canary Wharf.

A reflection of current events, London has and continues to be under siege by gangs (assumed to be underprivileged youths) who rob jewelry stores in smash and grab attacks on motorbikes.

Taking the easy way out.

Strong female characters, the leaders of the hipster gang are two strong assertive girls.

Recent Feedback on Hipster Heist From BlueCat Screenplay Competition:

You have constructed an effortless, reflexive, emotional film script that achieves what it sets out to do. To begin with, you utilize effective scene descriptions that not only keep your script moving at a steady pace, but also don’t bog your reader down with unnecessary details. Additionally you manage to shade in subtle characterization details through your descriptions.

Your script really submerges itself in the London atmosphere, your attention to detail and cultural touches help push your material further and gives all of this a subculture to connect with, which helps it all resonate more. Even all of the musical cues you make a point of mentioning show how specific a vision you have and evoke a very particular feeling.

There are a surprising amount of effective action set pieces. Your introduction in particular is a great distillation of how they work, throwing in kinetic energy and managing to all feel fresh.

There’s a nice sense of humor coursing through your script where not only does the bulk of your attempts at humor land, but more importantly they all feel deeply rooted in your characters and the tonality of your script.

In terms of characterization, you do a really wonderful job with Rich, Lore, Dave, Joe, Fred, Lewis and all of the gang ostensibly. What’s most impressive is that these characters could easily bleed together or feel interchangeable, especially with you dealing with so many of them. You manage to make them all feel distinct though and actually have purpose. Layers are pulled back accordingly and you get deep enough into them too, while keeping them consistent through your script. Watching Rich and Lore grow closer is satisfying and it’s not as telegraphed as it could be either.

Similarly, your dialogue really sparkles and feels very effortless, natural, and right out of this sect of people. You manage to evoke emotion when necessary, but more than anything, these feel like real friends and there’s infinite chemistry going on here. Just watching them bounce back and forth off each other (which granted, your script does plenty of) is a delight.

The boiled down, focused nature of your script really does it a lot of help. It knows very clearly what it is from the start and doesn’t try to be anything else. Keeping this as a condensed piece rather than something that balloons out of proportion is a wise idea, and works to its benefit.

Lastly, your ending works well enough and feels like the right note to go out on. It is a little convenient and too tidily resolved, but it still comes together well and feels earned. Leaving on a happy note feels inevitable, but it still works and lingering on Rich and Lore, one of the stronger aspects of your script, is a smart decision.

“It is rare for me to come across writers who tackle this genre with zest and imagination, and yet also with a strong eye for the commercial market. The beauty of this script is that it is a story that will play anywhere, whilst at the same time being truly and uniquely British in it’s outlook and setting.”